ATM Deducts Funds, Doesn't Dispense Cash

July 16, 2004 at 9:11 PM EST - Updated July 26 at 9:15 PM

When you put your card into the ATM, you expect cash, not problems. But for one woman, that simple task has turned into a nightmare with hundreds of dollars deducted from her account and no cash to show for it.

Matherleen Snell went to a cash machine at a local convenience store and tried to withdraw $200 from her account. The receipt she got showed the deducted money, but the cash never came out. Now she's trying to get it back.

"I am past the point of upset," she said. "I'm in a loop and out $200 and a service fee. I've been trying to get my funds returned to me from Corp Data, who manages the machine."

Corp Data has been telling Snell there was a glitch in the computer and she should get her money within a few days, but that was two weeks ago.

"I don't understand why it's taking so long to get it back," said Snell. "It only took seconds to take it away."

Deborah Vacciana of Carver State Bank says it's a little riskier when you take money out of a random cash machine rather than an ATM owned by an actual bank. "The advantage of using an ATM owned by a bank you have access to that personnel readily," she said.

Snell is finding that out the hard way, not dealing with an actual person but a company based out of Florida. She says she is not getting adequate answers. "This is my money," she said. "$200 is mine and someone is sitting on it."

We did call Corp Data and they said they are investigating the case and if Snell chooses, she can try to dispute this transaction with her bank. As for Snell, she says she plans on taking her complaint to the Better Business Bureau.